Dutch media take out their frustration on referee Howard Webb

Much of Dutch media took out their frustration at Holland's World Cup defeat on the English referee Howard Webb who it labelled "chump". The Rotterdam-based NRC Handelsband accused the team of playing "un-Dutch football" following the physical nature of the team's performance last night. It prompted Webb to issue nine yellow cards to Holland players, two of which were shown to the defender John Heitinga, whose dismissal left Bert van Marwijk's men to fight out the final 11 minutes of extra-time with 10 men. The general feeling in the Dutch press was that the best side won but that did not spare Webb from their wrath. AD Sportwereld wrote: "The Dutch national team perished in the World Cup final - thanks largely to a chump of a referee. "It was a riveting battle, emerging through the tension but the Philistines were helped by Howard Webb, a controversial referee from England. "He hopped across the pitch, handing out cards, each time preceding the act with an irritating address of the culprit. "Spain's winning goal was understandably celebrated passionately by the Spaniards but the blunder by Webb which came before - he missed an obvious corner for Holland, took the shine off it, at least for the Dutch." De Telegraaf noted: "The referee failed to calm the mood in 120 minutes. That he was booed at the final ceremony by both the Dutch and Spanish fans was significant." De Telegraaf was disappointed with a final which was a niggly, fractious affair. "The tone was often unpleasant," it said adding, "it was not helped by referee Webb. The paper's front page said Holland's players "fought like lions," alongside a picture of striker Robin van Persie and winger Arjen Robben both holding their heads in their hands. But it also blamed Robben for squandering chances. "The star player of Bayern Munich failed miserably twice in promising positions," it said. De Volkskrant gave a detailed description of the moment Robben had the "cup in his boot". It's report said: "After a brilliant pass by Wesley Sneijder, the ball just behind the Spanish defence, Robben had a chance to deliver eternal Orange glory. During that long run towards the Spanish goal he all the time even to think of ideal solution. He made the wrong choice." "Robben wanted to lift the ball over Casillas, but was thwarted by a reflex from the feet of the Spanish goalkeeper." The Dutch team was scheduled to arrive home this afternoon, with an orange F-16 fighter jet escorting the players' plane once it enters Dutch air space. Tomorrow Queen Beatrix will meet the players at her Noordeinde Palace in The Hague before they fly to Amsterdam for a celebration on Museum Square.